What?

This stuff was all going to be in a zine I was going to do. It's dead in the water, so I'm stripping it apart to use for a compilation zine. Here's the reviews that aren't gonna make it. Big Fuckin' Deal.

La Piovra "Risacca" 7"
Anti-You "Pig City" 7"

While these 2 records don't really have a lot in common sonically, I did pick them both up as a result of some reviews I had read and kicked myself after seeing they were both on "Punx Before Profits", so lets lump em together. "Punx Before Profits" is responsible for releasing (and it's proprietors responsible for making) some of the most forgettable and unnecessary hardcore records of the last 5 years. Needless to say I was less than enthused to find myself the owner of 2 of their releases. However once I gave these an honest chance I'm quite surprised that I think both are actually worthwhile.

La Piovra (The Octopus) is an Italian band with a unique damaged guitar and great mid-paced punk songs. Not quite hardcore but somewhere close. I don't know if it's the Ugly American (uh...Canadian) in me, but I'm reminded of a slower, more eccentric Crudos, even though they sound nothing like them and the vocals are in Italian. They also released a 7" that's just Peggio Punx covers, so you'd probably wanna stay away from that. Get the yellow one with zippers on it because it fucking kills.

Anti-You are also Italian and have a more straight-forward US hardcore sound, with English vocals. While there is nothing really special about this, but it's solid. Of course, the Discharge cover is wasted wax but luckily it's the last song, so you can lift the needle as soon as it starts.



Total Abuse "Sex Pig" Ep
Deranged records is a shitty label that puts out a lot of good records. From the minimal packaging (which doesn't seem stylistic, it just seems cheap), high wholesale prices, trend jumping and talent pilfering, it appears to be more of a business than a labour of love. Excuse the paraphrasing, but I recall the Smalltown interview from Razorcake a couple years ago, "Gord said he had read some reviews of ours and was interesting in putting out an LP". Not to completely tear someone I've never met face to face apart, and I haven't heard anything negative about the way they treat the bands, but it all just seems a little questionable and suspect. That said, I still seem to end up buying a lot of the records on the label. I'm treading the line between hypocrite and fan. So sue me.

Total Abuse is a sloppy hardcore band from Austin. At first I was wondering why Deranged would put this out, because I hadn't heard of them and they didn't seem to be an "ex-members" group. The internet is quick to point out that Total Abuse is "ex-Snobs", although comparing inserts with the Snobs "Control" EP, none of the names match up. So I guess I understand the inherit hype, but really, your guess is as good as mine. All the better, easier to be objective. The record sounds really great, nice rough recording, the songs don't drag and the lyrics are nice and dumb ("Get a clue, I'm better than you, I drink champagne, you eat dog food"). This is one of the best US hardcore records of the year, but if you're like me you'll feel guilty plugging it.

Homostupids "The Edge" EP
I think that the Homostupids attempts to remain anonymous and mysterious would have succeeded better, say 10 years ago. With the Information Superhighway, everyone is in on every secret, and short of not playing shows there isn't much of a way around it. That said, you have to respect the fact that they aren't throwing around the "ex-member" status like so many others. Luckily, they kill, so having their cover blown is inconsequential. "The Edge", thankfully, is more in line with "The Glow" and "The Intern" than "Brutal Birthday", and is a fucking great hardcore record. "Brutal Birthday" was okay, and did get more enjoyable with time, but I'd rather listen to raging hardcore than nob-twiddling any day. Apparently this is already sold out, so buy it if you see it. Great white hope.

Warning Vinyl Fanzine 7"
Thanks to a friend finding these at Extreme Noise, I was able to get my mitts on this elusive piece of wax. Normally I'd be able to pass on an $8 new 7", but being the rabid Lebenden Toten fanboy I am, I sucked it up and shelled it out. The LT song is great, the rest of it pretty take it or leave it. I don't know about you, but Dog Soldier covering "Fuck the USA" isn't really a "must have". This is nowhere near the quality of the print zine, but still worth it for the LT song if you care. I do. Why so expensive though?


Criminal Damage "No Solution" lp
Like everyone else I was in love with the last LP and really looking forward to this. After having it for about a month, I'm really starting to appreciate it more, but it will always be measured up to the impossible to repeat 1st LP. It's really a shame it's fucking great, but it's just lacking something that made the last one untouchable. Either way, there is no excuse not to get this, it's bound to be one of the best records of the year. File next to "Tania"?

Sinks 7"
More sloppy as fuck garage punk from at least one member of the Retainers. Crazy garage punk, recorded on a two-track(rockstars) and pressed on a piece of mud. If you dug any of the 15 Retainers records that came out in the past year, you'll want this. Great, great.

Holy Shit! 12"
I was really into their previous efforts, but the more I listen to this, the more it's leaving me cold. Whereas their last EP, "Jazz Phase", just oozed character, this is way closer to the thrash revival revival stuff that is currently being beaten to death coast to coast. This easily holds it's own against any of that stuff and rips pretty hard, but I was expecting something special. I'll be keeping this, but I'm not sure I can recommend it. Make up your own mind for once.

Socialcide "Burn in Hell Bundy" 7"
They must be really nice guys or something